Wardrobe-trunk



I. W. ESPENLAUB, W. H. NORTHALL AND F. W. GOEDEKE WARDROBE TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23 191B Patented Mar. 15,1921

2 SHEEISSHEE! 1.

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ATTORNEY 7 E 3. N W/ w w. 1 w

'UNETED: STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VJ. ESPENLAQB, VfILLEAI'JE H.

fiLL, AND VJ. GOEDEKE, OF EVANS- VILLE, lNDIANA; FILED IIQPJTEIL D 5: ID ."LQSIGNORS 'lO SAID ESPELT- LAUB.

JVARDRQBE-TEUIIK.

1,371,12. Specification of Letters Patent. Paijglli ed 3121 3. 15, 1921 Application filed T 0 [ZZZtUiL-OWZ it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN WV. F srnN- LAUB, WILLIAM H. NORTHALL, and FRED vV. GOEDEKE, citizens of the'United States, residing at Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful lVardrobe-Trunk, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to wardrobe trunks, and its object is to provide a trolley fixture for" supporting the garment hangers used in thetrunk. 7

In accordance with the invention there is provided a metal frame for attachment about three sides of what constitutes the upper end of the trunk in use, the frame being interior to that portion of the trunk constituting the wardrobe part. The metal frame carries posts to which are secured telescoping slides of peculiar construction permitting the hangers to be moved without interference along the slides, whether pushed in or extended, and permitting the'extension or retraction of the slides with both members thereof at all times at one level. At the same time the movable member of the slide is securely held in the fixed member of the slide against'any but longitudinal movements with the top portions of both members of the slide exposed in side by side relation.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to anystrict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features'of the invention as 6X- pressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Y Figure l is a perspective view of the slide carrier having slides thereon as applied to a wardrobe trunk, the viewincluding a single garment hanger and the slides being partially projected. V

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure show in Fig. 1 but showing a greater number of garment hangers on the slides;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 but drawn on a larger scale and omitting the garment hangers.

November 23, 1818. Serial No. 263,883.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4et of Fig. 8. I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable member of a telescoping slide.

b g. 6 18 a perspective view of the companion or-fixed member of the telescopin slide. b

F 1g. 7 is a perspective view of one of the corner brackets of the slide support or frame. I Fig. 8 is aperspective view of another oraeket used in con unction with the corner bracket for carrying a fixed'member of the slide Referring to the drawings, there is shown a portion of the body member 1, cover 2 and drawer section 3 of a wardrobe trunk. These parts need no special de cription since they may of ordinary construction and the drawings omit the usual trimmings and other details employed in such trunks. The body member 1 is of a character to be stood upright when in use as a wardrobe and one side of the body member is open to be closed when necessary by the drawer member 3. and the cover member :2 when moved onto the upper end of the body member completes the closure.

Secured to the upper end of the body member on the inner face thereof is a threesided frame a which may be conveniently formed of, strap metal bent into shape, the frame 4 comprising single elongated side and two ends 6. In the particular showing of the drawings the corners of the frame 4, where the side 5 and ends 6 oin, are made angular as indicated at 7, and secured to the inner face of the frame at the corners 7 are angle posts 8 which may also be made of strap or sheet metal appropriately shaped and riveted or otherwise secured at the angles 7 and to the side 5 and appropriate end 6. Secured to the sides 6 of the frame t near the open side of the body member 1 are upstanding brackets 9, each with an extension 10 terminating in a curved seat 11 spaced away from the sides 6 of the frame 4: toward the interior of the body member 1.

Piercing that portion of each post 8 extending along the side 5 .is a perforation 12 of generally oval shape but having the upper end 13 contracted in diameter and provided with a shoulder 14 extending axially of the oval while the other end of the oval at a point about midway of the length of said oval is returned toward the longitudinal cenlip 18 is in engagement with the shoulder 14. On the opposite side of the tube 16 from "the'lip 18 is another lip 19 projecting toward the side of the tube provided with the lip 18 and curved in'conformity with the return portion of the perforation 12 so as to be lodged in such part of the perforation 12.

A tongue 20 is formed at one end of the tube 16 and is bent outwardly away from the tube .to bear against the outer face of the post 8 and is riveted or otherwise secured to said post to support the tube 16 in a substantially horizontal position, when the trunk is in the upright-operative position as a wardrobe, with the tube 16 inspaced parallelrelation to the corresponding side 6 of the frame but elevated above said frame by the post 8 and bracket 9. The outer end of the tube 16 is supported in the seat 11 and is secured to the bracket by rivets 21 or in any other suitable manner. A tongue 22 is struck up from the bracket 9 against the lip 19 of'the tube 16 so as to stiffen the tube where supported by the seat 1.1.

Contained within the tube 16 in telescoping relation thereto is another tube 23' of generally oval cross section and provided with a longitudinal slot 2% whichis narrower than the slot 17 of the inner tubular member 16. The tube 23 is shaped to fit snugly yet slide'freely in the tube 16 and has a longitudinal inwardly directed rib 25 to bear against the inner face of the lip 18. The other side of the tube 23 is bent away from that side containing the rib 25 so as to project or bulge through the passage or slot 17 ofthe tube 16 and rises to the height 7 of the tube 16 where provided with the H1) or flange 18. Such part of the tube 23 is indicated at 26 and is provided with an inturned flange 27 directed toward the lip on flange 18 into close relation thereto. The inner and outer tubes have a maximum width equal to each other or approximately so. The two contiguous portions of the tubes 16 and 23 between which the lip 18 extends complete a rounded supporting surface for the'hook-shaped end 28 of a garment hanger 29, which latter may be of 7 customary construction and hence requires no special description.

The outer end of the tube 16, that is the end remote from the post 8, is beveled, as indicated at 30, and the inner end of the tube 23 is similarly beveled, as indicated 1 at 31, so that these two ends of the members 16 and 23 composing the slides present no abrupt shoulders or corners liable to catch on the hangers resting-on the hanger slides. The tube 23 is prevented from turning axially by the rib 25 and flange 27 whichengage with the lip 18.

Traversing the inner end of the tube 23 is a pin 32 which may be conveniently made as'a screw pin but which serves as a stop pin which will engage the tongue 22 when the movable member 23 of the slide is drawn out to its full extent. This arrests the outward movement of the member 23 at a suf' ficient distance from the outer end of the fixed or supporting member 16 ofthe slide to hold the telescoping member 23 in a rigid projected position without sagging. The pin 32 also helps to prevent axialturning of the tube 23. At the outer end of the movable member or tube 23 is a head 33 serving as a stop for'the garment hangers and also as a manipulating head.

The construction is suchthat while the movable member of the slide telescopes into the fixed or housing memberv ofthe slide,

those parts of the two slide members which constitute the upper portions thereof are on a level one with the other when the trunk is in position to act as a wardrobev and the two members form substantially equal sup ports for the garment hangers on opposite sides of theicenterline of the slides without presenting any impediment of any kind to the free movement of either the garment hangers or the movable members of the slides intoand out of the body member of thetrunk. a

' The frame 4 maybe made of material of such width as to be flush Withthe top of the body 1 or may rise to a greater height so as to project a short distance, say half an inch above the top of the'body member 1, so as to enter the top 2 and stiffen the structure when the top 2 is closed.

l/Vhat is claimedfisri 1. In a wardrobe trunk, a slidable support for garment hangers, comprising tubular slotted members'in telescoping relation, with one member within and having aside extension projecting laterally through the other member and expandedland returned toward the first member to form part of V 2. An extensible slide for wardrobe trunks,

comprising an "outer slotted tube and an inner telescoping tube, means holding the outer tube at one end to the trunk, a bracket its seat, and. a stop. member on the inner tube projecting through the slot of the outer tube and contacting with said tongue when the telescoping tube is drawn out to its full extent.

3. A supporting slide for garment hangers of wardrobe trunks, comprising a tubular member circumferentially incomplete to provide a side opening through the tube and another circumferentially incomplete tubular member telescoping into the first tubular member and provided with a side extension projecting through the side opening in the first tubular member and shaped in conformity to and brought toa level with the exterior of the first-named tubular member in opposed matching relation thereto, whereby the two telescoping members provide substantially equal support to the garment hanger.

4. A support for garment hangers of wardrobe trunks, comprising telescoping members each of tubular form, one of the members being fixed and the other telescoping into and out of the first-named member, the first tube being of generally oval form in cross section and incompletecircumferentially, one end of the oval being con racted in width with the tube provided with a longitudinal, substantially centrally located inturned flange, and the other tube being of incomplete oval cross section of a size to house snugly and freely in the first tube and provided with a longitudinally disposed extension projecting through the incomplete side of the first-named tubeand expanded laterally to a width substantially equal to that of the first-named tube and then returned toward the longitudinal flange of said first-named tube into close relation thereto and substantially on a level with the corresponding portion of the first-named tube, whereby the two tubes provide a telescoping support for garment hangers with each presenting substantially the same area of support to the garment hangers.

5. An extensible slide for wardrobe trunks, comprising an outer tubular member and an inner telescoping member, the outer member having a longitudinal slot in its side, the inner member bulging out through said slot and being larger on its upper side than on its lower side, a bracket supporting the outer member at one end, said bracket having a seat to receive said outer member, and a tongue to hold the outer tube in its seat, said tongue curving around the lower edge or lip of the slotted outer member and engaging with the inner member below the bulging portion. 7

6. An extensible slide for wardrobe trunks, comprising an outer slotted tube and an inner telescoping tube which is also slotted, a'lip formed on the outer tube and extending into the slot of the inner tube to prevent axial movement of the latter, said inner tube having stop means and supporting means for the outer tube engaging with the stop means when the inner tube is withdrawn, said outer tube being beveled at its outer end and said inner tube being beveled at its inner end.

7. An extensible slide for wardrobe trunks, comprising two telescoping tubes, the outer tube being secured to the trunk and being open on one side, an inturned lip bordering one edge of the tube where open, the inner tube having an inwardly directed rib bearing against the inner face of said lip, and also having a section projecting through the open part of the outer tube and having an inturned flange in substantial contact with the'outer face of the lip, whereby the two tubes are incapable of relative axial movement, and said tubes have their upper portions on a level one with the other and form substantially equal supports for garment hangers.

8. An extensible slide for wardrobe trunks, comprising two telescoping tubes, the outer tube being secured to the trunk and being open on one side, an inturned lip bordering one edge of the tube where open, the inner tube having an inwardly directed rib bearing against the inner face of said lip, and also having a section projecting through the open part of the outer tube and having an inturned flange in substantial contact with the outer face of the lip, said inner tube where contained by the outer tube having its walls in snug contact therewith, the pro jecting part being extended away from the opposite wall so that the inner tube has a mzfiximum width equal to that of the outer tu e.

9. In a wardrobe trunk, a three-sided frame having angular parts at the corners thereof, angle posts secured to the angular parts, said posts having each a perforation of generally oval shape provided with an inwardly directed shoulder, tubular members secured to the frame and fitted at one end into the perforations, and an inner telescoping member carried by each of the tubular members.

10. An extensible slide for wardrobe trunks, comprising two telescoping tubes, the outer tube being secured to the trunk and being open on one side, an inturned lip bordering one edge of the tube where open, the inner tube having an inwardly directed rib bearing against the inner face of said lip,

" I and also having a section projecting through the open part of the outer tube and having an'inturne'd' flange in substantial contact With the outer faoeof thelip, said inner tube Where contained by the outer tube having its Walls in snug contact therewith, the projecting part being extended away from the opposite wall so that the inner tube hasa maximum width equal to that of the outer tube.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own, We have hereto aflixed out signatures.

' 'JOHN. W. .ESPENLAU-Bi WILLIAM H. NORTHALL. FRED W. GOEDEKE. 

